go for broke
To try everything possible or do every last thing possible in a final attempt.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“He decided to go for broke and bet all his money.”
“With only one minute left in the game, the team decided to go for broke and attack with every player.”
“After years of careful saving, she chose to go for broke by investing her entire life savings into her new startup company.”
first recorded 20th c.
From Hawaiian Pidgin craps slang, meaning “to wager everything on one roll”: one would be broke, i.e. bankrupt, if one lost. Popularized by the movie Go for Broke! (1951), which is named for the 442nd Infantry Regiment’s unit motto.
- 01
all bedlam breaks loose
The situation becomes chaotic or characterized by conflict or rage.
- 02
all dressed up and nowhere to go
Elaborately attired or otherwise fully prepared for an anticipated situation or activity which, nevertheless, fails to occur.
- 03
all hell breaks loose
The situation becomes chaotic or characterized by conflict or rage.
- 04
all systems go
Everything is ready.
- 05
as you go
While one is doing (something); as one progresses.
- 06
big break
A breakthrough, especially the first big hit of a previously unknown performer or performers in the entertainment industry.
- 07
boldly go where no man has gone before
To break new ground.
- 08
break a leg
Good luck!; Do your best!; Said to someone wishing they perform well in a theatrical production or comparable endeavor.
Last updated August 10, 2026